Malmaison Liverpool

The Liverpool outpost of the Malmaison chain has all of the brand's hallmarks except one: rather than following the established house format of reinventing a characterful old building, this is the first purpose-built 'Mal' branch. It stands riverside by the Mersey in the regenerated Princes Dock quarter within sight of the iconic Liver Birds, and shares with its stablemates a glamorous Manhattan-esque nightclub feel, a no-holds-barred colour scheme, and the obligatory glitzy champagne and cocktail bar. Exposed brickwork and industrial ducting pursue the modern theme in the waterfront Brasserie, while the menu deals in classical and contemporary ideas wrought from a fair showing of regional materials. Game sausage roll with cornichons and mustard is a typical starter, while mains take in everything from forthright steaks and burgers to rolled breast of lamb with boulangère potatoes and port wine jus, or halibut and salmon fishcake with sauce gribiche.